The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s 78. The Pitfalls on The Path to Exit
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Sep 18, 2025 Dirk Sahlmer, Head of Origination at saas.group, is an expert in acquiring and scaling capital-efficient SaaS companies. In this discussion, he explores the balance between ambitious growth and team capacity, the dangers of micromanagement, and how offshoring can impact company culture. Dirk also shares insights on the 'bootstrap future' for scaling sustainably and the essential elements for effective due diligence. He emphasizes the importance of documentation and readiness to avoid deal-breakers, urging leaders to come prepared for success.
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Keep A Live DD Room
- Keep a live due-diligence room with monthly P&Ls and key documents so you can respond quickly to buyers or investors.
- Build reporting and drop items in progressively to avoid a last-minute scramble that prolongs exits or raises suspicion.
Model The Drivers Not Just Numbers
- Have a simple financial model that maps business drivers (leads, headcount) to future revenue even if you lack a full finance team.
- Invest in a finance hire or a usable model so investors can see how current metrics produce future results.
Publish A Simple Scorecard
- Maintain a lightweight monthly business review or scorecard showing the top KPI per department and targets.
- Archive one quarter or an example pack so buyers see how you run the business and what you discuss with the team.